Chapter 10

Cadet's Log, Stardate 2267.12

Things haven't worked out too badly the last couple of days. I thought I was going to be in major trouble for sneaking out of my cabin without permission, but no guards jumped me. I haven't heard from my dad, but Dr. McCoy gave me a medical release—whatever that means. I hope it means he'll do all the explaining when the captain finds out I'm gone. I have a new friend. His name is Jack. He loves being aboard the Enterprise about as much as I do. Tonight I'm taking him up to see the bridge. He's gonna love it!

When the turbolift doors whooshed open, Jamie motioned Jack to stand just inside the bridge. She wanted him to see the view screen before he saw anything else.

His dark eyes grew wide with wonder and delight.

"What did I tell you?" Jamie whispered, leaning close. She loved the bridge. She would sit content for hours, watching the stars go by at warp speed. She enjoyed listening to the soft murmur of the bridge crew going about their duties. Sometimes, Lt. Uhura let her listen in on some of the subspace transmissions, and she heard many interesting and funny things.

"You're right, Jamie. There are no words to describe how special this place is." Jack sighed. "You're very lucky to be aboard this ship, you know."

Jamie nodded. She knew.

The center chair spun around. Commander Spock regarded Jamie and Jack with a questioning look. A Vulcan eyebrow shot up.

"Hi, Mr. Spock. What are you doing up here during beta shift?"

Spock rose from his seat and came to stand by Jamie and Jack. He ignored Jamie's irrelevant question and asked one of his own. "Does the captain know you are on the bridge?"

"No. Why? Is he looking for me?"

"Not that I am aware," Spock replied. "Did you know the bridge is off limits to all unauthorized personnel until we reach Delphi II?"

Jamie paused in uncertainty. "He never told me that." She didn't add the fact that she hadn't seen her father in almost a week.

"The announcement is posted on all comm screens. Perhaps yours has malfunctioned?"

Jamie looked up into the Vulcan's dark, unreadable eyes. "I . . . I guess I didn't read my screen."

Mr. Spock gave her a sympathetic look. "I recommend you vacate the premises immediately, and take Mr. Brainard with you." With a guiding hand, he ushered them toward the turbolift.

At that moment the lift doors slid open, and out stepped the captain and Commissioner Thomas. Kirk's mouth fell open. "What are you—"

"Captain Kirk!" Thomas cut in, clearly outraged. "You deny access to the bridge to my sons, yet your daughter and the Brainard boy flaunt your restrictions."

Jamie shrank against Mr. Spock at the harsh words.

Great going, Cadet Kirk. You got the captain into trouble again. She stiffened and prepared herself for a tongue-lashing from the haughty diplomat.

But Mr. Spock broke in. "The blame is mine, Captain. I failed to inform Jamie of the new bridge restrictions, as per your orders. With your permission, I will accompany her and Mr. Brainard from the bridge and review the new orders with them."

"Of course, Mr. Spock," Kirk answered quickly—too quickly. "Carry on. Good night, Jamie."

Jamie craned her neck and looked at her father as Mr. Spock gently propelled her into the lift. He wasn't smiling. "Good night, Daddy," she whispered. "Good night, Commissioner Thomas."

The flustered commissioner nodded a brief farewell. Then he turned to the captain. "Kirk, are all your officers as slack in following your—" The doors cut off the rest of the man's complaint.

The lift plunged downward. Jamie stared at the floor. Then she took a deep breath, looked up, and caught Mr. Spock looking at her in amusement.

"Mr. Spock, you lied."

One of Spock's eyebrows rose. "I merely rearranged the facts to suit the occasion. It was obvious you knew nothing about the new restriction. It was equally obvious the captain knew nothing about your presence on the bridge. Why should I give occasion for Commissioner Thomas to find fault with either you or Captain Kirk?"

He clasped his hands behind his back. "The commissioner and his party are most unpleasant people."

The lift came to a stop, and the doors slid open.

"Enjoy what remains of your evening," Mr. Spock said.

"I will. Thanks to you."

"Thanks are not necessary. It was the only logical course of action."

The doors whooshed shut.

Jack gaped at the turbolift. "You realize Mr. Spock just saved our backsides. Commissioner Thomas would never let my father forget this."

"I know," Jamie agreed. "Mr. Spock is . . . well, he's nice to have around."

My hero!

She motioned Jack toward the recreation hall. "Come on. Let's play a game of chess."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"Well, well, if it isn't Jack Brainard the 'brain,' and his loyal pet girl out for a fun-filled evening aboard the most boring ship in the quadrant."

Clark Thomas reached over Jack's shoulder and flicked his finger at the black king. It toppled from the second level and crashed into the white bishop and three pawns, disrupting the chess game Jack and Jamie had been engrossed in ever since they'd escaped from the bridge an hour ago.

"Hey!" Jamie reached out to rescue her white pieces from the tabletop.

"Go find something else to do," Jack mumbled.

"Well," Ronda piped up, "at least you're talking to us now. Usually you ignore us, and act like you're too good for us." She sat down next to Jamie.

Clark and Denn quickly followed suit—one on either side of Jack.

"Hey, Jackie." Denn slapped the youth smartly on the back. "I heard a rumor that you got to see the bridge. How did you rate a trip up there?"

Jack forced a smile. "Where did you hear that? The bridge is off limits."

"We heard it from our father. You know, the high commissioner. He saw you two on the bridge this evening. He's pretty upset to see such favoritism and intends to do something about it." He looked at Jamie very hard. "Wouldn't you like to know what he's going to do?"

"No." Jack picked up the black king and returned it to its rightful place on the board. He turned to Jamie. "Go on, Jamie. It's your move."

"He's going to file an official complaint with Starfleet about their lack of wisdom in allowing her"—Clark pointed to Jamie, who was staring at the chessboard—"to stay aboard the Enterprise. Apparently, it's not really allowed."

Jamie said nothing. Her throat was too tight to speak.

Clark went on. "A little kid aboard a starship? My father thought at first she was here on a holiday, but he checked around and discovered she stays here permanently."

Clark clucked his tongue and stood up. He came around the table and sat down beside Jamie. Then he laid an arm across her shoulder. "You won't be here for long, squirt. Not if you keep being a disruption."

Jamie squeezed her eyes shut, but two tears leaked out.

"Captain Kirk isn't very cooperative, either," the teen went on. "When my father gets finished with him, both of you may find yourselves grounded."

"Shut up, Clark!" Jack leaped to his feet and clenched his fists. "Shut up and leave us alone. If you three weren't such jerks, you'd probably be allowed a tour of the bridge. But Captain Kirk is a lot smarter than those other ships' masters who've had the misfortune to have you aboard their ships."

"That's enough out of you!" Clark took a step toward Jack and raised his fists. "If you had the sense of a toad, you'd—"

Jack's fist plowed into Clark's nose with a force that made the older boy stumble backward—right into the arms of Lieutenant Harb Tanzer.

"Augh!" Clark clutched his nose with both hands. "He broke it! He broke my nose!" He pulled away from Harb and pointed at Jack. "Arrest him immediately. He viciously attacked me."

Harb's quiet voice cut through Clark's shouting. "That will be enough out of both of you, gentlemen." He laid a powerful hand on each boy's shoulder. "It's time to call it a day."

"Call your security men. Lock Jack Brainard up." Clark brought his hands down and stared at the bright red blood covering them.

"I don't think that will be necessary, Mr. Thomas," Harb said with a smile. "I saw the whole thing. A ruckus between two teenaged boys is nothing to get excited about. I'll take you to Sickbay if you're worried about your injuries. Dr. McCoy can fix you up in no time."

Clark jerked away from Harb's grip. "I don't want to see the doctor." He narrowed his eyes at Jack. "You two are in trouble for this, and don't think any stupid crewman can get you out of it." He turned and stomped out of the rec hall, followed by his brother and a wide-eyed Ronda Fortran.

Jack turned to Harb. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I let my temper get the best of me." He glanced at Jamie. "But . . ."

"I'll vouch for you," Harb said with a smile. "You were defending a lady." He winked at Jamie, who brushed a tear from her cheek and watched the exchange with wariness. Her thoughts were on Clark's earlier words.

The ones about Starfleet and being forced to leave the ship. Can he really do that?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Harb. "Come on, Jamie. You'd best get yourself to bed. I'll see you to your quarters."

Although it was worded nicely, Jamie recognized an order when she heard one. "Aye, sir." She turned to Jack. "Good night, Jack. I'm sorry you got in trouble on account of me."

"It wasn't on account of you," Jack assured her. "Clark's been asking for a fist in the face since Starbase 12. I was happy to accommodate him."